With the country headed to the national elections at the end of May, various political parties have called for an end to South Africa’s kakistocracy and for parties to professionalise their political deployments.
Speaking during The Star’s Political Dialogue event at the Joburg Theatre on Friday, the UDM’s Prof Mthunzi Mdwaba, the MK Party’s Nhlamulo Ndhlela, Colleen Makhubele of the South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA and Prof Isaac Khambule, all agreed South Africa needs more capable people in leadership positions.
“The era has come for professionals to take up leadership positions in government and in politics. I too was called from my professional life to come help with the MK Party,” Ndhlela said.
“That is why, as the party are saying, president Zuma does not need to be President, but because he has led before, we trust him to help the party. He does not want to hog power for himself, but has sacrificed his retirement because he does not identify with the ANC of Ramaphosa, which has sold out. He does not want an ANC that is bought. If we can’t beneficiate our mineral resources.”
Ndhlela said the MKP would not be filling leadership positions with mere cadres, but would approach professionals who would be able to implement the party’s policies.
“We believe there are South African out there who are capable and we want to empower them to implement MK policies because the branches are not holding the ANC leaders accountable. We are trying to break that mould,” he added.
His words were echoed by Makhubele, who said her party is against kakistocracy, which has led to poor service delivery in municipalities and across the board.
As part of its manifesto, SARA has also promised an end to kakistocracy and the adoption of a more merit-based deployment system of people in government.
“Believe you me, I am not here in politics because I have nothing or nowhere else to go. I am here because I want to serve and believe in the professionalisation of our politics.
“As SARA, we believe in a merit-based system and want to put an end to kakistocracy, which has really destroyed this country,“ Makhubele, who is the SARA president, said.
Mdwaba said that having led numerous businesses and contributed to the turn around of local and international businesses, he understands and is passionate about instilling sound and principled turnaround strategies.
“As a professional, I was responsible for the five regions of the world and understand how the world sees us as South Africa. Europeans have respect for one another, but we as South African do not respect one another because we have been colonised and somehow been taught to hide our pain.
“As a turnaround specialist and a serial entrepreneur... I have... built businesses... and consider myself a capitalist, and a conscientious one at that. So, I know nothing else but capitalism, but understand that if capitalism is practised by people who know what they are doing, it works really well,” said Mdwaba.
Prof Khambule also agreed that SA needed more capable deployees across local, provincial and national spheres of government.
“We must ensure all key government functions are taken up by capable people. Some of the key service delivery functions rest with the local government, where capable people are more needed. That is why we must not focus on emotions as we need to professionalise these institutions to ensure service delivery as we try to build a capable state,” he said.
The Star